Recipe - Butternut and Nut Butter Soup

When I set out to lose weight during lockdown I was determined to make food that was delicious as well as low in bad carbs. No food or drink would be banned - but they would, from now on, be viewed as treats rather than staples. I cherry-picked recipes from various diet schemes like Weightwatchers, Fast 800, Paleo etc. And I created quite a few meals of my own design - one advantage of having spent my later teenage years working in a pro kitchen is that I have a good understanding of flavour and cooking techniques. 

I also watch cookery shows and I'm particularly fond of River Cottage, where their philosophy of growing and raising organic, sustainable produce, supplemented by occasional foraging, is a 100% match for my own food ethic. 

This one is based on a River Cottage recipe. It's a favourite winter warmer at Colgan Towers and SO easy (and cheap) to make. And it's a one pot meal so there's not much washing up either.

Ingredients (serves 2) 

Rapeseed oil or butter

Half a butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cubed 

An onion 

Ginger (optional)

Clove of garlic (optional)

Red chili or Chili flakes (optional) 

Vegetable stock 

Jar of peanut butter 

Method 

Chop the onion and fry in a little oil or butter. Add the garlic and ginger and the chili/chili flakes if you like some extra warmth. Make it as spicy or as mild as you fancy.

Add the cubed butternut and let it take on a bit of colour - it's all flavour. Then add stock until the squash is all submerged. Simmer for about 15-20 mins until the squash will, quite literally, squash between your fingers or by pressing with a spoon. 

Now blitz it up with a blender or, if you don't have one, give it a good mash with a potato masher. 

Add two big heaped table spoons of peanut butter - my preference is for crunchy as it adds texture but smooth works equally well (try to avoid cheap peanut butter than adds extra sugar or palm oil). Stir until the bigger lumps of peanut butter have melted down and become incorporated into the soup. 

Season to taste. I don't add extra salt as the peanut butter is salted. However, some peanut butters are saltier than others.  

Serve with a nice hunk of bread and some fragrant ground black pepper. Or with a sprinkling of fresh chopped coriander leaves (if you like coriander). If it turns out to be a bit too spicy, you can add a swirl of yoghurt to take the edge off.

If you can't get a butternut, any sweet squash will do. I have made this with the innards of a Halloween pumpkin rather than waste all that good flesh. It worked just as well. 

You can also make it with cashew butter if you prefer. But, of course, if you are peanut intolerant, it is possible you might also be allergic to cashews. Although peanuts aren't nuts (they're legumes) they do contain some chemicals found in tree nuts like cashews, almonds and brazils. Always check with the people you want to serve this to - they'll know what they can and can't eat. 

Oh, and don't forget to roast those butternut or pumpkin seeds. Delicious free bonus snacks!